Cute or Outrageous? Toddler Pleads With Mother for a Dinner of Cupcakes, and You Won't Believe the Reaction!

What is it about toddlers acting out, causing a ruckus or doing the downright tantrum-y thing that toddlers do that causes such an outrage and social media fire-storm of arguing amongst parents and non-parents alike?

This morning I discovered what I can only describe as the most adorable mini-man with debating skills superior to his very young age of 3 years old. Some might consider it charming, but others? Well, he’s downright condescending and deplorable.

The video on YouTube has 991,490 hits and apparently the comments have been disabled because of the arguing and vile getting tossed around. The thread on Jezebel’s FB page (where I happened across this debacle), currently has 348 comments and growing.

Obviously you really want to see the video now, to see what has gotten so many people of the Internets spewing a bunch of hate and judgement around at each other, all over a child who is more likely to win on the debate team when he’s older than become a criminal. (Because if there is a link between kids who argue for cupcakes growing up to be criminals, well, then — I’m screwed.) Watch him plead and beg for a cupcake for dinner. Clearly, this cutie is picking up cues from someone in the house.

So there you have it. My mind boggles at how a not-so-typical, cute kid has a bunch of adults arguing like out-of-control children themselves. Perhaps if the lens was turned on each of us, some of our own imperfection would be glaringly apparent and we’d quit trashing each other’s parenting.

Wishful thinking, I know. It makes me even more sad to acknowledge that all of the arguing and trashing? It’s happening amongst women and mothers. When I showed the video to Trevor, he just shook his head and said, “I don’t get it.” His own eyes boggled when I told him how many comments and views the video had gotten on both Jezebel and their Facebook page…

“I especially love how that little cherub has learned to interrupt and mansplain to his mother from… Who?”

“This kid is awful. What is cute now will be vile once he’s a little older.”

“So many adults hate smart kids.”

“I am ready to be outraged I just need one of you to explain what is so upsetting”

“This little boy is behaving badly and his mom doesn’t know how to handle it. Instead of videotaping she should have been parenting”

“Big round of applause @ everyone who is a perfect parent/was a perfect child in this thread.”

And it goes on and on and on. And ON. I’m sharing some of the tamer comments. Believe me, there is a lot of cursing and ludicrous accusations and presumptions happening.

Listening to these two talk about “pow pows on the butt” and “hitting” does make me a little bit uncomfortable, because that’s not how I discipline my kids. BUT. I do think there is a difference between abuse and a “pow wow ” on the but. Some may call that walking a fine line, but I know plenty of folks with loving parents who got a whack on the bum now and then and turned out quite lovely. I’m not going to presume that my way is the BEST way to parent.

I just do what feels right for me, my kids and our family. Can we all just relax and be nicer?!

I see a very precocious, smart young man who needs to be taught a thing or two about how to debate respectfully when the time calls for it and listen to his mama (and eventually peers, colleagues and other loved ones in life), when the time calls for it. And to be able to discern the difference. No easy task, teaching these things to our children. You bet it starts during the toddler years. I see a mom who is engaging her child and not shutting her son down, while not backing down either. I think we could all do well to be less judgmental of different parenting styles. This child is THREE.

Who doesn’t want cupcakes for dinner anyways?We can all agree on that right? Cupcakes are awesome.

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